SALMONEUS. Son of Aeolus, and brother of Sisyphus. Zeus slew him with the thunderbolt, for claiming sacrifice, and imitating the thunder and lightning. SAPPHO. A Lesbian poetess of the sixth century B.C. Taken as a type of elegance in the _Portrait-Study_. SARDANAPALUS. Last king of the Assyrian empire of Nineveh. Lucian's favourite type of luxury and effeminacy. SARPEDON. Son of Zeus and Laodamia, slain in the Trojan war by Patroclus. SATURNALIA. The feast of the Latin God Saturn, held in the month of December. During the feast, all ranks devoted themselves to merriment, presents were exchanged, and public gambling was officially recognized. A mock king was also chosen, who could impose forfeits on his subjects. Lucian does not speak of the Saturnalia by that name, but only of the feast of Cronus, with whom Saturn was identified; and in some cases it is possible that he refers to a feast of Cronus himself. SATYRS. Beings connected with the worship of Dionysus, and represented with snub noses, horns, and tails. SCEPTICS. A school of philosophers founded by Pyrrho of Elis, who flourished 325 B.C. Abstention from definition, and suspension of judgement, were the guiding principles of the school. SCHERIA. _See_ PHAEACIANS. SCIRON. A robber who infested the frontier of Attica and Megara, and compelled travellers to wash his feet upon the edge of the Scironian precipice, kicking them over into the sea during the operation. He was slain by Theseus. SCOPAS. A famous sculptor of Paros, flourished 400-350 B.C. SELENE. Goddess of the moon. Fell in love with Endymion. SELEUCUS. Surnamed Nicator. First king of Syria, 312-280 B.C. For his wife Stratonice _see_ ANTIOCHUS. SEMELE. Daughter of Cadmus and Harmonia. Beloved by Zeus. Incited by the machinations of Hera, she prevailed upon Zeus against his will to appear to her in all his splendour. His lightnings consumed her; but the child Dionysus, with whom she was pregnant, was saved by Zeus, and matured within his thigh. SEMIRAMIS and her husband Ninus were the founders of the Assyrian empire of Nineveh. Her date is placed at about 2000 B.C. She built numerous cities. SILENUS. A Satyr, son of Hermes or of Pan. Usually represented as drunk, and riding on an ass, in attendance on Dionysus. SIMONIDES. Of Ceos; a famous lyric poet, 556-467 B.C. Said to have added four letters to the alphabet. SISYPHUS. King of Corinth, fraudulent and avaricious. Punished in the lower world by having to roll a stone up hill, which as soon as he reached the top always fell to the bottom again.